Home is where your Heart is

Rising to the Top

Having had dinner with the Diaz family, Dad came home late. "How'd it go?" I asked when he walked in the door. He just shook his head.

"All the boys are telling me that I don't understand. I think it's time that I understood."

I let that sink in. "Are you telling me you are going to go picking?"

"Yup. Will you wake me up tomorrow morning when you get ready to go running?"

"Yeah, sure,"

The next morning I woke him up at 4:30 and he grumbled a bit, but he got up and made himself a quick bowl of cereal and a cup of coffee. "Good luck," I told him cheerfully as I headed out the door. He grumbled something incoherent in return. I laughed. I couldn't see him working in the fields all day.

But he did it and returned just before dinner time stinking and covered in dirt. He walked right on by and collapsed on his bed fully clothed and with his shoes still on. When it was dinner time, I couldn't wake him so we left him and he slept deeply right on to 10 o'clock the next morning. By that time our kitchen was full of women making tamales and I think that was what finally woke him up.

Sonia, Jamie and I prepared the dough while Mom and the other woman cooked the beans, pork, beef and chicken and prepared the rest of the filling. Together we made dozens of tamales and piled them high on trays. "Buenos Días!" Señora Diaz greeted my dad when he came in.

"What's going on?"

Mom, Sonia and I answered him one after the other.

"Tamale sale,"

"And carwash,"

"For the team fundraiser this afternoon,"

Señor Diaz allowed his boys to be on the team because he had gained new respect for my dad after he joined the laborious work yesterday and because Dad had made a deal with them. On the days the boys had to work early, practices would be held later. On the days the boys had to work later, practices would be held earlier. That way they could still meet their father's quota and still run for the team.

Señora Diaz handed Dad a cup of coffee. "If my boys are running for you they need new uniforms and better shoes. Why you buy them the cheap shoes? You not proud of them? You are good man so I helping you. Okay, now go shower. Oof,"

"You do stink." I told him teasingly.

We had the carwash at the edge of town where there was a lot more open space. Other people helped us out by taking the tamales over to the spot and by bringing chicken and a grill to cook it on. Someone even brought a radio and cranked it up loud.

"I love how everyone drops everything to help each other out. It's such a small town, everyone is like family." I told Thomas, watching everyone busily at work.

"I thought you said this town was a dump."

"Oh it is, but that doesn't mean it can't grow on me." He chuckled at that.

"Time to get your buckets guys!" Dad shouted. Over the hill came a whole procession of cars. Before we knew it the place was packed. The customers were sitting and eating and the team and our friends were helping to wash the cars. We had a ton of fun doing it. Jose and Damacio busted a few moves while washing. Victor took special care in washing his uncle, Javi's, car, a car he admired and took care of while Javi was in prison. I don't know what Javi was in for, but he had apparently turned a new leaf and he was good uncle according to Victor.

Danny tripped over a bucket and got covered in soap. Thomas, Sonia and I had a threesome team going on. Thomas and I soaped up the cars and Sonia sprayed them down. Feeling a little mischievous, she pointed the hose towards the top of the car we were scrubbing down and the water sprayed us on the other side.

"Hey!" I laughed. Thomas shook his hair out at me which made me giggle more.

The town event lasted all day long and we earned more than enough money for new uniforms and shoes doing it.

Two weeks later, I found my dad in his office after school with the newspaper in his hands and an amused smile on his face. "What's up?" I asked.

"Read this." I quickly scanned the article and a grin stretched across my face.

"Can I take this? I have to show the boys."

"Go ahead."

I left my backpack with him and bolted out of the school. I ran the three miles to the fields and many heads popped up in surprise as I ran down the rows of potatoes calling out my friends' names.

"What are you doing here?" Danny asked, jogging to meet me with the others.

I waved the paper at them. "You have got to hear this. 'The McFarland Cougars are making an impression. Starting with a stunning upset beating Clovis high, but then consecutive victories over Yosemite and Morro Bay left the racing community and everyone else asking the question, just where did these McFarland runners come from?'"

Johnny whooped with joy. "You hear that? We're rising to the top."

"Alright, I will let you get back to work. I just thought you might like some good news."

"Thanks Julie."

"Anything for my team," I waved and headed back home to do my homework and get ready for practice.